The Ballon d’Or Isn’t Made of Gold: The Manufacturing Secrets of the Highly Coveted Trophy

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Ballon d’Or is not made of solid gold. “Obviously, otherwise the players wouldn’t be able to lift it,” explains Laure-Isabelle Mellerio, director of the prestigious Parisian jewelry house Mellerio, which has for decades been responsible for crafting the most coveted trophy in world football.

Its manufacture requires nearly a hundred hours of work and begins six months before the official presentation. The trophy is made of two brass hemispheres welded together, then filled with a specific mixture called “cement,” which allows the metal to be shaped outward and creates the characteristic seams of a football.

After this step, it is immersed in a gilding bath to achieve its unique shine. At the end of this meticulous process, the object measures 31 centimeters tall, 23 centimeters wide and weighs over 10 kilograms.